THE PRESIDENT: Tonight, for the first time
in American history, the Hanukkah menorah will be lit at the White
House residence. It's a symbol that this house may be a
temporary home for Laura and me, but it's the people's house, and it
belongs to people of all faiths.

The magnificent menorah before us was crafted over a century ago in
the city of Lvov, which was an important center of Jewish life and
culture. The Jews of Lvov fell victim to the horror of the Nazi
Holocaust, but their great menorah survived. And as God
promised Abraham, the people of Israel still live.

This has been a year of much sadness in the United States, and for
our friends in Israel. America and Israel have been through
much together. This year we have grieved together. But as
we watch the lighting of this second candle of Hanukkah, we're reminded
of the ancient story of Israel's courage and of the power of faith to
make the darkness bright. We can see the heroic spirit of
the Macabees lives on in Israel today, and we trust that a better day
is coming, when this Festival of Freedom will be celebrated in a world
free from terror.

Laura and I wish all the people of Jewish faith in America and
Israel and around the world many joyous Hanukkahs in the years ahead.

All right, now we call on young Talia to help us light the
candles. Thank you so much for being here.

(The menorah is lit.)

THE PRESIDENT: It's nice to see
everybody. Thank you for coming.

Q Sir, on this occasion of peace and
celebration, can you tell us how you were struck by this bin Laden
videotape?

THE PRESIDENT: It just reminded me of what a murderer he
is and how right and just our cause is.

I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the
joy of Hanukkah, or the joy of Christmas, or celebrating peace and
hope. This man wants to destroy any semblance of
civilization for his own power and his own good. He's so
evil that he's willing to send young men to commit suicide while he
hides in caves.

And while we celebrate peace and lightness, I fully understand in
order to make sure peace and lightness exists in the future, we must
bring him to justice. And we will.

But for those who see this tape, they'll realize that not only is
he guilty of incredible murder, he has no conscience and no soul, that
he represents the worst of civilization.